Auxiliary support for use with ironing boards



A ril 10, 1951 w. H. TILL 2,

AUXILIARY SUPPORT FOR USE WITH IRONING BOARDS Filed March 25, 1948 FIG.5

INVENTOR.

W. H. T I L L AT TORNEY Patented Apr. 10, 1951 AUXILIARY SUPPORT FQR USE WITH IRONING BOARDS Wi lard H. Till, Raleigh, N. 0. Ap ca ion a ch 2 8. Serial N!?- 162 This invention relates to article handling and more particularly to an auxiliary support in the nature of a tray for use in connection with an ironing board, sewing machine or the like in order that the articles being ironed, sewed or otherwise handled may be retained in an orderly fashion and be prevented from becoming soiled by contact with the floor.

In connection with various devices, such as ironing boards, sewing machines and other appliances used about the household and elsewhere relatively large articles are ironed, sewed or otherwise treated. It is difficult to prevent them from coming in contact with the floor and being soiled, particularly when they are of materials which require extreme care in handling. It has therefore been found desirable to provide means for solving this problem, one solution having included the use of baskets and the like beneath or adjacent to the ironing board or other appliance. However, the degree of satisfaction or success obtained in the use thereof has been considerably limited by size, weight, configuration, convenience, and cost.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a convenient, practical auxiliary support for use with an ironing board or other appliance and which overcomes many of the disadvantages found in prior devices.

A further object of the invention is to provide for use with an ironing board, a collapsible auxiliary support havin a relatively large supporting surface and retaining side walls which when erected is sufi'iciently rigid for the purpose intended and which may be folded into a relatively small compact substantially flat package which may be easily transported or stored in a minimum of space.

Another object of. the invention is to provide a device of the character described which is simple and easy .to use, inexpensive, of light weight and durable construction.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the fol-. lowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective illustrating one application of the invention in connection with an ironing board;

Fig. 2, a view of the under side showing the foldable retaining sides extended;

Fig; 3, a perspective showing the device in collapsed folded condition for storing or carrying;

Fig. 4, a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. ;5, a detail of a leg in folded, position;

Fig. 6, a detail of a l g in extended position; and,

3 Claims. (Cl. 38-111) Fig. 7, a detail of the corner latch members.

With continued reference to the drawing, there is shown inEig. 1 a conventional ironing board having a top 10, rear legs'I I, struts or braces I2 and I3 and a front leg I4. The auxiliary support I5 of this invention may be conveniently utilized in connection with this or other conventional ironing boards or other appliances and comprises a supporting surface composed of two parts It and I1 hingedly secured together by hinges I8. These hinges may comprise two leaf portions I9 and 23 pivotally'connected by a pintle 2i and secured to members IB and I1 by fastening means 22 and 23. i

The support I5 is also provided with foldable retaining side walls, two of which 24 and 25 are hingedly connected to opposite'edges of members It by hinges 25, there being two main'side walls 2t! and 28 connected to opposite edgesofmembers H by hinges 29, the side walls '24 and 21 when in erected or operative position forming a continuous wall along one side of members I6 and II, side walls 25 and 28 performing a like function along the opposite side. One end of the support I5 is closed by a retaining end wall 30 connected to members I5 by hinges 3|, the opposite end cfthe support I5 being open.

. In order to retain members I6 and I! in coplanar position and prevent collapse or buckling of the support I5 during operation thereof and if desired to permit lifting of the support away from the floor, side walls 24 and 25 are provided with latch members 32 and 33 respectively pivotally mounted at 34 and 35. Latch members 32 and 33 are provided with notches 36 and 31- respectively which are adapted to be received over latch pins 38 and .39 respectively when the side walls are in .erectedcondition. As seen from an inspection of Fig. 1 these latch members will effectivel-y retain members I6 and I! in extended coplanar position preventing movement thereof about hinges I8.

side walls 2.4 and :25 and end wall .30 are retained in upright or erected position by inter-eerie gaging latch members at the abutting corners, the structure of which is best shown in Fig. 7. Latch member 40 is pivotally mountedlon side wall 24 by appropriate means 4| and this latch member is provided with an upwardly opening notch .42. Complementary latch member 43 is pivotally mounted on .end wall 30 by appropriate means .44 and this latch is provided with a downwardlyopening notch .45. With side wall 24 and .end wall 30in upright position it is only necessary to inten-engage' notches 42 and 45 in order to retain the walls this condition.

"The pivotalbmounting of latchesi40 and 43 is bly secured thereto by latches 32 and 33. Side walls 21 and 28 will also be retained in upright position by latches 40 and 43 since said side walls are retained by latches 32 and 33 as extensions of members 24 and 25.

It is desirable that the auxiliary support 15 described above be supported above the floor at a proper height to receive articles draped over or depending from the edges of the ironing board and forthis purpose there areprovided on the lower surface of members l6 and I1 foldable legs 46. Each of these legs is secured to one leaf 4'! of a hinge 48 the other leaf 49 being secured to the lower surface of members [6 and I1. When in folded condition as shown in Fig. 5, the leaf 4'1 and leg 46 will lay against the lower surface of members l6 and I! parallel thereto and protruding only the thickness or diameter of the leg 46.

In order to securely lock legs 46 in extended position the leaf 49 of spring 48 is provided with a shoulder 50 which as shown in Fig. 6, prevents movement of leaf 41 and leg 46 beyond a position at right angles to the lower surface of members l6 and IT. The leg 46 and leaf .4! are securely locked in extended position by an elongated button or latch 5| pivotally mounted at 52 on members l6 and I1. As shown in Fig. 6, the button 5! is rotated about pivot 52 until the rounded end surface 53 bears against the side of leaf 4'! opposite to the shoulder 50, thus securely blocking: pivotal movement of leg 46 and rigidly retaining the same in extended position.

the ironing board and keep this material out of contact with the floor to provide neat and convenient handling of the material.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawing and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An auxiliary support for use with an iron-- ing board having a pair of legs at one end and a single leg extending toward the other end, said support comprising a pair of members hingedly connected together and forming a supporting surface, side walls and an end wall hingedly connected to said members, latch means on said side and end walls and cooperating to retain said walls in upright position and said members in coplanar position, foldable legs secured to the lower surface of saidmembers and means, for

locking said foldable legs in extended position, an aperture in one of said members for receiving said single leg, resilient means secured to one of said members adjacent said aperture for embracing said single leg of said ironing board thus preventing relative movement between said ironing board and said support, said support being capable of being folded to form a compact substantially flat package, and a pair of carrying handles secured to said members.

2. For use with an ironing board having a pair of legs at one end and a single leg at the other end, an auxiliary support capable of being folded to provide a compact readily transportable packe age comprising a pair of members, side and end The auxiliary support l5'ispositioned beneath Y an ironing board as shown in Fig. 1 and in order to accommodate the front leg l4 there is provided in member I6 an opening 54 through which the leg I4 is adapted to pass and inorder to securely position the support l5 with relation to the ironing board there may be provided a loop 56 of elastic or other similar material to embrace leg M as it passes through opening 54.

' When it is desired to store or transport the auxiliary support l5 the latch members 32, 33, 40 and 43 may be released permitting the side and end walls to be folded with relation to the members l6 and I1 and the buttons 5| may be moved away from the leaves 41 of hinges 48 in order to permit legs 46 to be folded against the under surface of members l6 and I1. Members l6 and I! may then be folded together about hinges l8 resulting in an extremely compact and substantially flat package as shown in Fig. 3. In order to conveniently carry this collapsed and folded auxiliary support there may be provided a pair of hand'engaging carrying straps or loops 51 suitably secured to the under side of members 16 and ,Ilat the ends thereof. a I

portions, and a plurality of legs, means hingedly connecting the same, handles attached to remote edge portions of said top sections by means of which the support may be transported when compactly folded, one of said members having an aperture for receiving said single leg of the ironing board and means on said one of said members adjacent the aperture for gripping said single leg, latch means cooperatively engageable for securing said side portions together in upright position, and latch members for securing said plurality of legs in extended position.

3. An auxiliary support for use with an ironing board having a leg at one end thereof comprising a plurality of relatively-thin members of sheet material providing relatively large supporting surfaces, means pivotally connecting said members, one of said members having an aperture for receiving the leg of an ironing board, leg means for supporting said members in spaced relation from a supporting surface, retaining side and end walls, means pivotally connecting said walls to said members, means for connecting a plurality of said walls together in upright position, said support being capable of being folded to form a compact substantially flat package.

WILLARD H. TILL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

